Anna Vorontsova

Who was Anna Vorontsova?

Countess Anna Karlovna Vorontsova, née Countess Skavronskaya, was a Russian lady in waiting, salonist and noble, cousin of the Empress Elizabeth of Russia. She was married to Chancellor Count Mikhail Illarionovich Vorontsov.

She was the daughter of the elder brother of Catherine I of Russia, Karl Samoilovich Skavronskaia, and Marya Ivanovna, and made a maid of honor at the court of her cousin, princess Elizabeth. Elizabeth was very fond of her cousin and after accession to the throne, she had her marry Mikhail Vorontsov Illarionovich 31 January 1742. 25 April 1742, she was made lady in waiting. Anna Karlovna loved fine arts and her house was constantly visited by artists, writers, scientists, government people. She was described as beautiful, kind, charming and temperamental.

Anna Karlovna was constantly in the ficinity of the Empress, and Elizabeth was often informally in her home, where she met with all the foreign residents at the Russian court, and thanks to his spouse, her husband the Grand Chancellor excerted influence in foreign policy. 29 June 1760 Anna Karlovna was made chief gofmeysteriny. In the short reign of Peter III of Russia Vorontsovs belonged entirely to the party of the Emperor and is among those who accompanied him on June 28, 1762 in flight in the galley of Oranienbaum in Kronstadt. 9 February 1760 Anna Karlovna received the Order of St. Catherine's great cross. Widowed in 1767, the Countess Anna Karlovna not played a prominent role at court, although the Tsarevich Pavel Petrovich called her aunt.